| This course is designed to cover the essential facts concerned
with the history of horticulture from the earliest known primitive
times and including the last half of the 20th century. Particular
attention will be given to individual accomplishments since these
indicate progressive changes in viewpoint and accomplishment. Obviously
prior to the dawn of the written word, we can surmise only as to the
order of development of man's use of plants in every day existence.
Sarton (Sarton, George, A History of Science: Ancient Science
through the Golden Age of Greece. Harvard University Press. Cambridge,
1959.) points out that the "early technical problems" involved the
discovery of "useful plants one by one - plants to use of food, or
as drugs, or for other domestic purposes and this implied innumerable
experiments. It was not enough for his to discover a plant: he had
to select among infinite variations the best modalities of its use."
He cited an example in the discovery of the nutritive value of Cassava,
the juice of which contains hydrocyanic acid, an ingredient which
must be removed by cooking.
The change of primitive man from a Nomadic to a settled existence
is considered by historians as one of the most important steps in
the history of mankind. This shift involved a change from a "food-gathering"
to a "food producing" society. The passage from a Nomadic to a settled
existence occurred thousands of years ago in some parts of the world.
However, the Bedouins in the Near East represent even yet a group
which has not developed a settled existence.
Sarton declares also that primitive men gathered considerable knowledge
of herbs and various drugs, obtained by "vague, and casual experiments"
and that the results were transmitted from generation to generation.
Various types and groups of plants were undoubtedly classified as
to possible use and those that were dangerous were in some way catalogued.
Little is known of the scientific achievements of the Hindus, Iranians,
Scythians, Chinese in ancient pre-Hellenic times. Sarton concludes
that in the Near East the centuries preceding and following 1000 B.C.
were characterized by a tremendous upheaval due to the introduction
of iron, "complicated migration" and "widespread turbulence."
Oriental influences continued to exert an influence even after Aegean
and Green civilizations became dominant. Egyptian, Mesopotamian and
Phoenician cultures continued until the Roman domination and survived
even the Roman conquests.
Egyptian arts and customs were transmitted not only by the Egyptians
but also by the Aegeans, Phoenicians and the Greeks. Egyptian traditions
were kept alive by travelers, "story tellers, craftsmen and gossips."
Among those spreading oriental influences may be listed: Herodotus(5th
Century), Plato, Aristotle, Theophrastus, Nearsbus in the 4th Century,
Caesar, Poseidonios, Diodorus, Strabon, and Vitrusius, in the 1st
Century, Dioscorides, Josephos, Columella, Tacitus, Lucanus and Pliny
likewise performed a similar service.
The process of accumulating knowledge of harmful and useful plants
undoubtedly involved long periods of time. The Egyptians and Sumerians
of the first dynasties had considerable knowledge bequeathed by their
ancestors. They passed on to succeeding authors (Aegean, Phoenician
and Greek) information in these respects. Sarton declares, however,
that historians still lack a good etymological dictionary which would
list foreign Greek words according to their origin. If such were available
the oriental origin of plants and animal names would be provided.
The Greek and oriental equivalents of plant names are not known. |
